It's Like Comin' Home
by Official Scroll Keeper
Summary: Emmett and Bay are married and Daphne and Wilke are engaged. Toby is working on getting the two girls to talk to each other before the wedding, but neither girl seems willing so Toby asks for Toby and Emmett's help. Bay/Emmett. Daphne/Wilke.
1. Chapter 1

Bay walked into the apartment she and Emmett were renting. She set her bags of new art supplies down on the kitchen table and walked over to her husband whose back was turned to her as he cut some carrots for their dinner.

She put her hand on his shoulder and waited for him to turn around before standing up on tiptoe, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him.

"How was your day?" Emmett asked, the question still a little cumbersome in his mouth. He was taking a speech therapy class once a week. He did not speak a lot outside of their home, or to anyone but Bay really. Even with her he refused to say more than a few words at a time. The sentences he did speak were always short. But he was trying, as was Bay, to make this work.

Bay's signing had improved immensely over the past five years since they'd met. Not that she really enjoyed walking down memory lane to those days unless they only talked about their relationship exclusively.

"My day was great. The gallery downtown wants to show one of my pieces in their next show." She signed.

Emmett's smile lit up his face. "That's great, sweetheart." He signed the word sweetheart, putting his knuckles together over his heart and tapping his thumbs together.

"Thanks." Bay said before walking over to the table and picking up her bags. Then she turned to Emmett and said, "I'll be back. I'm going to put these away."

They had a system worked out, she would work on signing and learning more of that, keeping the lip reading to a minimum for him as long as he worked a little on his speech. It wasn't an exact science and they hadn't talked about setting up such a system, it was simply an unspoken agreement, in any language, English or ASL.

When Bay came back into the room, Emmett was done cutting the carrots and had just dumped them into a boiling pot on the stove.

"What are we having?" Bay signed pointing to the pot.

"Chicken noodle soup." Emmett signed.

Bay smiled. It was Emmett's favorite dish.

While they waited for the food to cook, they started setting the table. As Bay was setting her place and getting out the silverware, Emmett placed a hand on her arm to get her to face him. Then he signed, "Toby called today. I'm not entirely sure what he wanted but he tried to tell me. Anyway, I think he wants you to call him."

"Cool. Thanks for telling me." Bay signed back. She went to place the silverware on the table and Emmett stopped her again.

"Also, Daphne called and-"

"I'm sure you two had a lovely talk." Bay interrupted, trying to sign with the spoons in her hand was difficult so she walked away and put them down by their bowls.

Behind her she heard Emmett sigh and she sat down in her chair, putting a hand to her forehead.

Emmett tested the soup and then declared it done, setting it on a hot pad in the middle of the table and handing her the ladle.

As she dished up her soup, he signed, "I think you two need to talk. She's getting married. Don't you want to be there for that?"

"You remember our wedding, right Emmett? She only came because of you and hurried away as fast as humanly possible as soon as she could so she wouldn't have to talk to me." She paused and he looked like he was going to try and say something so she stopped him by signing, "Look, if she really wanted me there, she...would have contacted me directly, face to face."

He gave her a pained look. "You're my wife and she's my best friend since we were little. I want you two to get along."

"Emmett she said she didn't want to have anything to do with me or my biological father anymore. She told me to stay out of her life, so stop trying to fix this. It's not going to happen. She doesn't want me in her life or her family. That's pretty clear."

Emmett didn't say or sign anything, but he stared at his soup like it was its fault two of the three most important woman in his life, since his mother talked to both of them, hated each other.

Bay sighed and reached across the table to grab Emmett's hand. He glanced up and she signed, "hey, look, I'll go to her wedding if you really want." He perked up immediately all smiles. "But I'm not going to end up in any pictures or anything. In fact I'm not going to talk to her or intrude on her life. I'm just going to hide in the background and hope I make it through the night alive because there is no way she'll be glad to see me."

Emmett couldn't stop smiling and shook his head, starting to eat. He was so happy. Bay smiled glad that she could make him happy. Sad that she and Daphne seemed to always play tug of war with him.

That night, Bay sat in her and Emmett's art studio which was really just the apartment's spare bedroom, staring at an empty canvas, and wondering what she should give Daphne for a wedding gift.


	2. Chapter 2

Wilke was just getting out of his car, briefcase in hand when his phone rang. He patted his pockets trying to figure out which one he had put it in. Then he pulled it out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket and looked to see who it was that was calling.

"Toby? Probably asking if he can bring a plus on to the wedding." He hit the answer button and said, "Hey man, what's up?"

"Wilke I have a favor to ask you." Toby said.

"Okay, well hold on a minute let me get inside and say hello to my wife-to-be and put my stuff down. I'll call you back in a few minutes."

"All right, but don't let Daphne know what we're talking about when you call back."

In other words this is a private conversation that involves your fiance. "I'll try. Talk to you in a minute." Wilke said hanging up. Then he put his phone back in his pocket and smiled as he walked inside as he saw his wife watching Deafenstein in the living room. He set his briefcase down on top of the shelf where they stored their shoes.

Then he went into the living room, heading towards his wife on the couch. She saw him coming and smiled up at him as he put his hands on the couch on either side of her and leaned in for a long, slow kiss.

When he pulled away, Daphne gave a little pout.

"I have to go call someone back." Wilke said, pushing himself back into a standing position and signing as much as he could while speaking slowly.

Daphne nodded in understanding and then signed and said, "I'm going to finish the movie. Okay?"

He nodded and waved her attention back to the TV. Walking into the hallway, Wilke fished his phone out of his pocket again and called Toby back.

"Hey what's up?" He asked as Toby answered after the second ring.

"It's about the wedding." Toby began.

"Yes Toby, you can bring a date." Wilke said.

"No that's not it. I was just thinking back to when Emmett and Bay got married and how much tension there was between Bay and Daphne."

"Well, yeah for obvious reasons." Wilke said uncomfortably. "Bay did sort of steal Emmett from Daph."

"I know." Toby said. "I'm not trying to defend anyone or anything like that. I just was wondering if you would help me out with something. I want to try and get Daphne and Bay to sit down and talk everything out so there's less tension at your guys' wedding. I mean I noticed you guys had invited Emmett and Bay, probably mostly because Emmett was Daphne's best friend."

"Well that and they invited both of us to their wedding, even though at that point we weren't officially together." Talking about Emmett made Wilke uncomfortable. Sure, Daphne had liked Emmett as more than a friend and Emmett had obviously been in love with Daphne for years. He'd spotted that from the moment he met the two of them. Wilke was pretty sure Daphne love him now and that Emmett wasn't a big threat. Still if she'd been with Emmett things would have been easier for her. She wouldn't have to try so hard to communicate with him and she wouldn't have to teach Emmett how to sign since Emmett already knew.

But not Emmett and Bay were married, Wilke felt comfortable with the current situation and the distance between Bay and Daphne.

"I don't know buddy." Wilke said to Toby.

"Come on please. I know it doesn't bug you, not having Bay or Emmett around, but think about Daphne. Emmett is her best friend and Bay, well, Bay is sort of her sister." When Wilke didn't reply Toby said a little desperately, "Dude, think of me. I'm sort of the kid caught in the middle of a divorce. They are both my sisters and them not talking means they both ask me how the other one is doing or I'm not allowed to talk about them to each other. It depends on the mood they're in."

Wilke sighed, of course, this was about Toby. Still that was Toby's way, he cared about both of his sisters and wanted them to be happy so he could be happy.

"I'll see what I can do. What do you actually want me to do to help you?" He asked, pacing up and down the hallway. Daphne glanced at him questioningly and he smiled at her before hiding behind the wall again.

"Just bring them both by our parent's house. That's all. So if you'll bring Daphne around, say tomorrow around one, then I'll make sure Bay is there and we'll go from there." Toby said.

Wilke thought about it for a minute and then sighed. "All right, but you take full credit for this idea. If Bay and Daphne get mad, I'm going to tell them it was all your idea. Are you prepared for their wrath, because neither one of them will be happy about us tricking them like this."

"Their my sisters. I can handle it." Toby said confidently. "Thanks Wilke. I gotta go, but I'll see you tomorrow. One o'clock, don't forget."

"Got it. Bye Toby." Wilke said hanging up. When he walked back into the living room to sit down by Daphne, she turned to him with a worried expression on her face.

"Are you okay? You seem upset." She said and signed.

Wilke waved her concern away. "I'm fine. I was just talking to Toby about the wedding and the guest list."

Daphne looked a little confused for a minute as to why Toby and Wilke would need to talk about the guest list, but she shrugged and leaned back into Wilke's chest and kept watching her movie.

When the movie was over, she turned to him and said, "Do you want to help me make dinner or should we just order out?"

He considered for a minute and then signed, "take out." Whenever Daphne didn't sign what she said, he would sign his reply to help him learn and remember everything.

Daphne smiled and corrected his signing a little. Then she went to grab the phone for him. It was easier for him to order the take out.

When they went to bed that night, after dinner, Wilke hugged Daphne to him and whispered while slept that he was sorry for what he was going to put her through tomorrow. He didn't get much sleep that night.


	3. Chapter 3

"Emmett we need to go. Toby said he needed to talk to me today. He was very specific that he needed me at my parent's house at one o'clock and you said you'd give me a ride." Bay was speaking too quickly and Emmett's brow furrowed trying to understand what she was saying and what she was signing.

"Slow down." Emmett signed, focusing on Bay's hands. He could tell she was distressed. When he realized what she was talking about he glanced at the clock. It was a half hour to one.

"Okay, give me a second to clean up lunch and then I'll be ready."

Bay sighed in exasperation but nodded and gave Emmett a hug before walking down the hall to their art studio. She had started a new piece last night and it kept calling to her constantly. She stared at the brush strokes she'd made and the start of a face that was emerging. Normally she painted with spray paint, but for this she was experimenting with oil paints.

She gazed at the canvas, willing it to reveal the rest of it's secrets when Emmett stuck his head in the room and tapped the wall with his knuckles to get her attention. "You ready?" He signed when she turned around on her stool to look at him.

Nodding, she stood up, grabbed her bag, and followed Emmett out of their apartment to where his bike was parked.

He handed her his spare helmet and she put it on, getting on the bike behind him. Then they were off.

* * *

><p>Toby paced up and down in the drive way of his parent's house. He had moved out a few years ago, but he figured it would be less suspicious for him to have invited Daphne over here than to his own apartment.<p>

Plus the adults would be pleased to see their daughters again. Regina was still living in the guest house. She couldn't complain about the free rent and it was worth putting up with the Kennish family. She still pretended she didn't like them, and she still dreamed of getting out of their guest house eventually with the money she would make from her salon that she'd finally been able to get last year, but the profit was slow in coming. The first thing she needed was to make up a larger customer base, after that things would look up.

Upon hearing Emmett's bike coming down the street, Toby looked at his watched, good they were a little early. That would give Toby some time to usher them into the house before Daphne and Wilke got here.

He looked up as Emmett pulled into the driveway and parked in front of the guest house. Bay hopped off the bike quickly and took off her helmet. Then she walked around the bike and Toby held out his arms for a hug.

"It's great to see you little sister. It's been too long."

Bay smiled and then pushed him away. "Don't get all mushy on me Toby. So what's this all about?" She asked.

"Well why don't you go on in to the living room for a minute and then I'll explain. I need to have a word with Emmett first."

Bay gave him a perplexed look. "What are you going to do to him?"

Emmett tapped her on the shoulder and signed, "go on in. I'll be there in a second. Okay?" He'd seen what Toby had said.

"But he's still not very good at sign. Maybe I should stay and translate." Bay said and signed for Toby and Emmett.

"It's okay. We survived before you and I started going out I think we can manage to communicate now." Emmett signed.

Bay sighed and said in a low, menacing voice, "You better be nice Toby."

Toby sighed, mimicing his sister and then said, "I will be don't worry."

She left with a glance over he shoulder before going into the kitchen to get a drink.

"What's up?" Emmett signed.

Toby concentrated and then mouthed and tried to sign, "I need your help with something. I'm trying to get Bay and Daphne to talk to each other again."

Emmett's brow furrowed and he signed, "why?" Not that he didn't want the same thing, but he wondered at Toby's motives.

"They are both my sisters. Bay by fate, Daphne biologically. I love them both and this not talking to each other is driving me nuts."

He paused and Emmett signed, "go on."

"I mean, working things out so we can all have family functions without them having to see each other is annoying. Like Christmas time, you guys spend it with Regina and your Mom on Christmas Eve while Daphne spends it with me and my parents and then on Christmas day you guys switch. See what I mean, this arrangment sucks."

"I agree, but what are you planning right now?" Emmett asked.

"What am I planning?" Toby asked to confirm he'd understood right.

Emmett nodded.

"Well, Daphne and Wilke are on their way here right now." Emmett looked a little surprised. "Neither of them knows the other is here." Toby said and signed.

"So what? You're just going to throw them in the same room together and say surprise?" Emmett asked.

"Sort of. I'm actually going to through them in the same room and lock the door and tell them they aren't allowed out until they can work things out."

Emmett looked at him skeptically.

"What?" Toby signed.

"You really think that will work?" Emmett signed.

"Well, it might not be the smartest way to settle this but since when have I ever been creative?" Emmett nodded in agreement and Toby gave him a look that said, "gee thanks for defending me."

"Anyways, I just want you not to interfere on Bay's behalf like I know you'll want to." Toby said.

"I assume you and Wilke will want to listen in on their conversation." Ememtt signed and when Toby didn't get what he was saying he pantomimed eavesdropping.

"Oh yeah, totally." Toby said.

"Well will you tell me what they are saying since I won't be able to hear them or read their lips?" Emmett asked.

Toby smiled. "Sure man. If they hear me telling you though, they'll stop talking so I'll text everything to you. Okay?"

Emmett nodded and then pointed to the house.

"Oh yeah go on inside now. I'm going to wait out here for Wilke and Daphne, please try and keep her preoccupied so she doesn't get suspicious." Emmett nodded and then went inside in search of Bay.

A few minutes later, Wilke pulled into the Kennish's driveway and he and Daphne got out of the car.

Daphne walked around the car to give Toby a hug and then watched as the two old friends greeted each other as well.

"You ready?" Toby asked Wilke who nodded.

"Ready for what?" Daphne asked aloud.

"I have a surprise for you. Come on, you'll see. Close your eyes." Toby said. Daphne hesitated and then closed her eyes, letting Wilke take her hand and lead her inside the house.

Toby looked around for where the Emmett and Bay were. They were in the front hallway. _Perfect_, he thought to himself. There was a large linen closet in that hallway and no windows so there was no way the girls could escape.

Wilke followed Toby, still holding Daphne's hand. He let go and then reached his arm up around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. He hoped she wouldn't be too mad with him after this. As long as things went well and she and Bay made up, maybe she would forget that he'd been involved at all.

Bay turned away from the front door smiling when she heard Toby coming down the hallway, but the smile quicky dropped off when she saw Daphne and Wilke.

She folded her arms across her chest and stared Toby down menacingly. "Why are they here?" She started tapping her toe on the floor and Emmett walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Turning around to look up at him, she glared and Emmett took a step back. "Do you have something to do with this?" She asked.

Just then Daphne spoke, her eyes still closed. "Toby? Wilke? Can I open my eyes now?" She asked.

Wilke looked at Toby who nodded and then gave Daphne's shoulder a squeeze to mean yes.

She opened her eyes slowly and looked around until her eyes fell on Bay. "What is she doing here?" She turned to Toby for answers and he put his hands up in defense.

"Geeze, neither one of them is happy with me."

"Did you expect them to be?" Wilke asked.

Toby shrugged. And then opened the door of the linen closet. "Okay boys, let's do this." He reached out and grabbed Bay's wrists, catching her off guard and pulling her into the closet. Wilke sheperded Daphne in the same direction and when she was glaring at him, Toby pulled her in as well. Then he hurried out and slammed the door shut.

"Toby!" Bay screamed banging on the door that Toby was holding shut.

"Emmett, could you run and get a chair from the kitchen please?" Emmett nodded and wished he could hear as he hurried down the hall to the kitchen.

"Listen Bay and tell Daphne what the deal is. You two are not getting out of there until you make up."

"What?" Bay screeched.

"We want you guys on speaking terms by the time their wedding rolls around and since that happens to be next week, you guys are going to have to come to speaking terms before we let you out of there."

Bay screamed and stomped her feet in frustration.

As much as Daphne hated being dependent on hearing people, this was one of those times when she had no choice. She tapped Bay on the shoulder and said, "What? What are they saying?"

Bay was so frustrated her hands were shaking as she tried to speak and sign, "Toby says they won't let us out of here until we work things out and get back on speaking terms with one another."

Daphen rolled her eyes. "They aren't exactly the epitome of patience. We just have to sit here not saying anything and they'll let us out eventually. Or your parent's will come home and ask them what they're doing and they'll let us out."

Bay sighed and nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me, I just wish I had my art stuff so I could work on this painting I'm doing." She said.

"What?" Daphne asked.

Bay waved her question away and signed, "it's not important."

She reached up on tip toe to grab the string that would turn on the light and then she sat down on the floor. Daphne sat cross-legged, facing her and their knees touched in the small space.

Just then Bay turned to the door and Dapne signed, "what?"

"They just slid a chair under the doorknob." She said.

Daphne sighed in frustration and said, "when we get out of her Toby and Wilke are dead."

Bay nodded. "Emmett too."

"I doubt he had that much involvement." Daphne said, defending her best friend.

Bay rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I'm sure he knew about parts of it."

"Speaking of Emmett, are you two coming to the wedding?" Daphne signed.

Bay concentrated on Daphne's signing and then nodded. "We plan to."

"Cool." Daphne signed and then let her hands drop to her lap, looking down at the ground.

* * *

><p>Outside the door, the boys sat there, slightly frustrated with their plan.<p>

"I forgot Bay could sign almost as well as you now." He said and attempted to sign to Emmett. He never had been very good at picking up ASL. So he supposed it was a good thing he hadn't fallen in love with a deaf person.

Emmett nodded, smiling with pride in his wife and a little happy that Toby and Wilke were having as many problems listening to the two girls as he was. Still it was a little frustrating not knowing what they were saying or rather signing.

"They know how to have a private conversation." Emmett signed. "Who knows, maybe they are working things out by signing. If that's they case, you'll never know if they're actually done or not."

Toby nodded, getting the gist of what Emmett had signed and growled with frustration.

"Well then, let's go get a snack real quick. We won't miss anything." Toby said standing up from where he'd been sitting and trying to listen through the door. He motioned for Wilke and Emmett to follow him into the kitchen and they started making some sandwiches.


	4. Chapter 4

Bay appeared to be listening intensely to something and Daphne tapped her knee. "What?" She signed.

"I don't think the guys are out there anymore. I think they went to get a snack." Bay signed and then stood up, reaching around in the towels and sheets for something. When she brought her hand back out she was smiling.

"What is it?" Daphne signed.

"A screwdriver. I stuck one in here when I was younger because Toby was fond of locking me in here."

"Why?" Daphne asked.

"Why do little boys do anything?" Bay shrugged. "Usually he would stick me in here when I threatened to tell on him for something or other."

Then she went to work on the hinges, taking out the pins. Since Daphne was slightly taller she got the top pin and then the two girls breathed softly and Bay put the screwdriver back where she'd found it.

They stood there together for a second, united in a common goal. Bay put her ear close to the door and listen intensely, then she nodded to Daphne and the pulled the door in towards them, lifting it slightly so the chair that was under the door knob was released with a slight bang. Then they pushed the door outward and climbed out of the closet as Toby, Wilke, and Emmett came down the hallway from the kitchen, Emmett looking slightly confused until he saw the girls.

They looked so mad, but he couldn't help but smile. Those were his girls. He saw that the door had been taken off it's hinges and was now leaning on top of the chair as the chair slid slowly out from under it.

The two girls marched towards the three men with glares on their faces.

"We're you in on this? Daphne yelled at Wilke and got her answer as he looked down at the floor, shifting in a way that told him he had been.

"What about you?" Bay signed to Emmett.

"Sort of." He signed. "I didn't know until we go here, when Toby asked to speak to me."

Bay growled and looked at Toby. "What's the big idea?"

"I was tired of having to work around you two whenever the family planned something. You two need to resolve your differences and get over them, once and for all."

Bay and Daphne looked at him and then looked at each other. They were both angry at everyone in the room right now including each other and themselves. Their brief union as they made their escape from the closet, forgotten.

"Wilke, let's go." Daphne signed to her fiance.

"Come on Emmett. Let's go home." Bay signed.

Even though both of the girls had spoken without words, Toby felt as if the conversations had been ear splittingly loud.

Wilke and Emmett were at a loss as to what they should do to fix the situation so they did what the girls had said.

Toby watched as Daphne and Wilke got into Wilke's car and drove away. He watched as Bay put on her helmet and got on Emmett's bike behind him. He watched as she glared at him before they drove away and he frowned, wishing his plan had gone better.

When the Kennishes got home that night there was a note on the kitchen counter from Toby saying sorry for the closet door, with no further explanation.

* * *

><p>The minute they reached their apartment, Bay had been ignoring Emmett. He had tried to talk to her, but she had simply walked away from him.<p>

Now she had shut herself up in their art studio and refused to come out or open the door.

Emmett was sitting in the living room on the couch, dejected. Bay was mad at him, Daphne was probably mad at him as well and he couldn't think of a way to fix the damage that had been done today.

The week passed slowly, with Bay speaking to Emmett as little as possible and staying in the studio with the door shut most of the time.

At night, they slept in the same bed, but Bay put a pillow between her and Emmett as a barrier.

He knew eventually something would have to give and he and Bay would work everything out but until then he didn't know what else to do but wait.

When the day of the wedding came, Emmett got up and started to get dressed in his suit. Bay was already up apparently since her side of the bed was empty.

He checked the bathroom to see if she was showering or getting ready but she wasn't there. He walked down the hallway and noticed the door of the studio was closed again. Knocking on the door, he waited to see if Bay would open it. She did.

"What?" She asked.

Through the crack in the door Emmett observed that Bay was still in her pajamas.

"Today is the wedding. You need to get ready." Emmett signed.

"I'm not going. Emmett. She doesn't want me there. But you go. She'll want to see you. You're her best friend. In fact, aren't you supposed to give her away?" Bay signed

He shook his head. "She asked her Mom instead. I guess she is a little upset with me still."

"Well, she'll still want you there. You're like family to her. So go, don't let me keep you." She stepped out of the studio for a minute, shutting the door behind her. Then she straightened Emmett's tie and looked him over as she brushed some lint from the shoulders of his suit jacket.

"You look good. Go." She said, standing up on tip toe, her hands on Emmett's shoulder's to give him a peck on the lips.

"I'll see you later."

Emmett looked like he wanted to protest but before he could, Bay slipped back into the studio and locked the door.

* * *

><p>The ceremony was beautfiul. All three of Daphne's parent's cried as Regina walked her down the aisle to give her away. Mr. Kennish had been a little upset when Daphne had told him she wanted Regina to walk her, but he had respected her wishes and only sulked in his own home.<p>

The way Wilke looked at Daphne was heartbreakingly beautiful. She was the only woman in the room he saw and as the priest pronounced them husband and wife and he kissed her, Emmett remembered his own wedding day with Bay.

Daphne had come up to congratulate him, tears in her eyes she was trying hard to hide. Then the minute Bay had walked up to them she had run off. Emmett had looked for her the rest of the night but he couldn't find her. He assumed she'd left and tried to not to think about Daphne for the rest of the night. He'd just wanted to focus on Bay since it was their wedding night and all.

Wilke and Daphne were walking down the center aisle now, smiling and happy. The rest of the guests began to exit as well. Following the happy couple outside to the parking lot where they would drive to the Kennishes house for the reception.

Emmett got on his bike and hurried over there.

* * *

><p>When Daphne and Wilke arrived at the Kennishes for the reception they were passed from room to room, everyone they knew or their parent's knew congratulated them.<p>

Needless to say, Daphne was relieved when she finally got away from the party for a minute. She'd excused herself on the pretense that she needed to use the restroom and then she had slipped outisde to the driveway that was jam packed with cars. She carefully threaded her way through the cars and was about to climb the stairs to the familiar guest house when she noticed there was a light on in Bay's old art studio. Now that Bay had moved out, it was mostly used for storage, so Daphne found it slightly odd that someone should be in there and not at the party.

She glanced around behind her and found that she was alone so she slipped past the cars to the entrance of the old studio. Poking her head in, Daphne saw Bay standing in front of an easel, oblivious to the world. Her stare was intense until she noticed Daphne standing in the doorway.

"Daphne," Bay signed. "Please come in for a second."

Daphne looked at the ground and stepped forward further into the room, her dress swishing around her.

Bay looked down at the ground and then took a deep breath and rested her deep brown eyes on Daphne. She began to sign, "When we got your wedding invitation, I couldn't think of anything to give you for your wedding gift. This morning I didn't even think I would have a gift to give you which is why I missed the ceremony." She stepped around her easel and walked toward Daphne, taking her hand and leading her around to the easel where a painting sat, covered by an old drop cloth.

Daphne looked at Bay a little confused and she continued signing.

"At first, it was just you. Then I decided I should include Wilke. If I was going to include Wilke...well let's just say the thing blew up and turned into a portrait of your-" Bay stopped signing and said, "family."

Then she stepped toward the easel and took off the cloth. "It barely dried in time." Bay said, but Daphne wasn't paying attention.

She was gazing at the painting in front of her in awe.

The background was the perfect shade of green, with just a little more yellow than forest green. It was a beautiful shade that flatter everyone. In the center of the canvas was her face, staring off to some distant point, her eyes full of light, her countenance glowing. Directly behind her to the right was Wilke, looking at the same point she was, looking forward to their future together, she decided.

On her left was her mom, her long, dark wavy hair surrounding her as she stared fondly at her daughter.

Above her and her mom were the Kennishes, her birth parents, looking on, slightly more distant and smaller than Regina but still there. To their right, in the space above the gap between her and Wilke, was Toby, grinning for all the world like he'd set them up. Like he'd masterminded the plan that had eventually brought together his sister by birth and his best friend.

Speaking of best friends, above and to the left of Regina was Emmett, smaller than most of the figures in the painting. Daphne decided it symbolized the distance that had grown between them, but the fact that he was on the canvas reminded her that he'd always been there for her, since she was eight years old he'd looked out for her and he always would.

Then she looked up in the top right hand corner, secluded from all the rest, was a face that looked on with a look of happiness, longing, and a hint of regret. The dark wavy hair made her look rather pale and Daphne turned to look at Bay for a minute before looking back at the much smaller version on the canvas.

"Why do you look so sad?" Daphne signed, pointing to the mini Bay.

"It's how I felt when I was painting. Wishing I could be part of your family again I guess." Bay signed and then looked down at the ground, embarrassed.

Daphne studied the girl who had thrown her life into a whirlwind so many years ago. The girl who, a little unwillingly, Daphne had begun to think of as a sister all those years ago. Circumstance, rather than choice or fate, had thrown them together and their lives had never been the same again. Nor had they been entirely complete with the other. So while most people didn't just gain a sister one day, Daphne felt like she had.

That didn't mean they were best friends or anything. By no means wa she big on having a sleepover with her sister of sorts. But they were family, and families, while they did not always get along or agree, or even speak to one another, families always loved each other.

So Daphne did the only thing she could do. "You are my family." She said out loud before wrapping her arms around Bay, holding her tightly.

When they pulled away, Bay had tears in her eyes that she tried to hide with a brush of her hand.

"Well, thanks for that." She said, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"No, thank you." Daphne signed. "This painting is amazing. Did you sign it and give it a name and everything?" She asked.

"Bay looked at the painting and pointed out where she'd signed her initials and put the date. "It's called, "Portrait of Our Family." Bay said and signed.

Daphne smiled. "It's perfect. Thank you." She gave Bay another hug and this time Bay returned it.

"So why aren't you at the party?" Bay asked.

"Too crowded." Daphne signed.

Bay laughed and then looked up at the door way where Toby, Emmett, and Wilke were leaning in and watching them.

Toby had a smirk on his face, but also looked relieved that his sisters were getting along again.

Wilke was just smiling, the whole night seemed a little surreal to him. I mean, he and Daphne were married now, _and_ Bay and Daphne were talking to each other again.

And Emmett, well Emmett looked overjoyed, but he also seemed a little confused. He took a few steps into the room and when the girls didn't shoo him away, he came a little closer until he was standing in between them, looking at the painting.

"What did you say this was called again?" He asked Bay.

"Portrait of Our Family. Why?" She asked and signed.

"It's Beautiful." He signed, leaning over to kiss her on the forehead. "Is this what you were working on all week?"

She nodded.

Wilke and Toby had come around and were staring at the painting.

"Bay I hate to say it, but that looks nothing like me." Toby teased.

Bay pushed him and wrapped her arms around Emmett as Wilke wrapped his arm around Daphne's shoulders and studied the painting.

"Our wedding gift from Bay?" He asked.

Daphne nodded.

"Hmm."

"What?" Bay asked.

"Well all you've got here are our heads. Are we wearing clothes?" He asked.

Daphne rolled her eyes along with Emmett, Toby chuckled, and Bay looked like she wanted to hit Wilke.

He grinned roguishly and Bay decided since it was his wedding night to cut him a break. He was Wilke after all, just because he was married didn't mean he'd change right away.

Eventually they all had to leave the garage and head back to the reception, but not for a while. For a while, they all simply hung out in the old studio, sitting on storage boxes and laughing and talking, remembering when their lives were thrown off balance by each other and the changes that had occurred.

* * *

><p>Okay first off, if you want to see what I think Daphne's dress sort of looked like, go here, just take out the spaces:<p>

http:/ www. goweddinggowndress .com /rosa-clara-wedding-dresses-style-204-p-5458 .html

Second, I may or may not be writing an epilogue. If you think I should, let me know and give me and idea for what should happen in the epilogue, if not, also let me know and I will change the stories status to Complete now.

Thankies for reading,

OSK


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